Immunomodulating and antioxidant effects of polysaccharide conjugates from the fruits of Ziziphus Jujube on Chronic Fatigue Syndrome rats

To detect the treatment effect of the fruits of Ziziphus Jujube in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS). Jujube polysaccharide conjugates (JPC) were isolated from the fruits of Z. Jujube. General physicochemical properties of JPC were analyzed. A four-week rats CFS model was established and JPC were orally administrated, the behavior experiments were conducted after CFS. The activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) in serum were elevated and T lymphocyte proliferation, CD4+/CD8+ ratio and natural killer (NK) cells activity were analyzed. JPC markedly improved behaviors of CFS rats, also decreased MDA levels in serum, and elevated T lymphocyte proliferation, CD4+/CD8+ ratio and natural killer (NK) cells activities. This suggests that JPC can improve the immune system and antioxidant activity of CFS rats and might be regarded as a biological response modifier.